A Shock To The System       Sunday 23^rd October 2005 ____________________________________________________________________

Resting this week were Joby, Max, Ethan & Jim, although Max came to watch.  We had won 24-0 last time, but they had strengthened, brought in new players including another ‘keeper, and we were resting four of ours.  Luke was asked to play in the Yellow Team to make the numbers even.  How would this one turn out?  Before both games, we observed a poignant minute’s silence to respect the death of a local U16’s manager who had died training his team.  Both teams were excellent in this.

 

 

Game 1 - The line up was:

 

Sam B (Tom)

 

Jack     Oscar

 

Sam K     Jordan     Tom (Sam B)

 

Dan

 

Rolling Sub: Spike

 

The Juniors attacked from the kick and the first thing Sam B had to do was make a fine save with his feet.  Tom was then awarded a free kick, which he took too well, and it flew over.  Dan battled well, despite being surrounded by a few defenders, and he got the ball to Tom, but he was crowded out and the Juniors attacked again.  They went down the wing, with Jack chasing back, and he blocked the cross.  Dan then attacked down the wing, harrying their defenders, earning us a corner.  Sam K defended well and cleared downfield, but already the Juniors were winning the ‘loose ball’ battle.  Jack and Oscar were both magnificent at the back, which was a good thing as they were under a lot of pressure!  Sam K attacked down the right but his cross wasn’t met.  Sam K then did the same, only this time he found Tom and his first time shot cracked onto the crossbar and bounced down for a grateful ‘keeper.  Then Dan had a shot which the ‘keeper saved. 

 

Jack won the ball, passed to Tom and he played a lovely ball forwards to Dan, but his shot was wide.  The Juniors had another attack, but Oscar was there to clear.  Tom then attacked again, and this time his shot was deflected up onto the crossbar and down for the ‘keeper.  Jordan then flicked the ball through to Dan, but he outnumbered.  The Juniors then broke through our defence, but Sam B was alert to stop them.  Another late tackle earned Tom another free-kick.  He played the ball into the danger area but it was cleared as Sam K battled to get to it.  It came back to tom, but his shot was at the ‘keeper.  The Juniors then had a shot at goal, but Jack cleared well.  They were then through, but Sam B charged off of his line and cleared. 

 

HALF-TIME: COLTS   0 JUNIORS   0

 

We had a bit of attacking and then came the moment, which turned the game and won the man of the Match award.  Their ‘keeper had it on the edge of his box and on the left side as we look.  He drop-kicked it to our right, and it started to drop about on the halfway line.  Sam K was waiting there, and as it came down he volleyed it at goal.  It flew like an arrow, straight into the back of the net as the 'keeper struggled to get across to it.  Now I have seen a lot of goals in my time, at youth, adult and professional level, and if you take into account his age and size, that for me was one of the most spectacular goals I have ever seen 1-0.  The Juniors tried to get back on level terms, but Spike was there to cover.  Sam B ran through their defence, before passing to Sam K, but his shot was caught by the ‘keeper. 

 

The Juniors had a shot, Spike tried to clear, but Tom was there to make the save.  Sam K then had a good long shot, but the ‘keeper made the save.  Sam B then got the ball on the right, attacked down the wing, got to the goal line and laid it back to Sam K who leathered it into the top of the net 2-0.  Spike was then involved defending three times in succession, before Tom was forced into a great save.  Oscar defended well, pass across to Spike and he played it in to Sam B.  His pass forward for Sam K almost came to fruition, but it was cut out.  The Juniors weren’t out of it however, and Tom made another great save.  This was quickly followed by another save.  Sam B won the ball and played across field to Dan, but his shot was wide. 

 

FULL-TIME : COLTS   2 JUNIORS   0 

 

 

Game 2 - The line up was:

 

Jamie

 

James     Callum     Mark

 

Josh     Josef

 

Joe

 

Rolling Sub: Luke

 

At this point, the rain, which had been ominously threatening, started in earnest.  We attacked through them but Josh’s shot was into the side netting.  Joe then ran down the left, beating two as he went, but their ‘keeper got to it.  Joe then got it back, but the ‘keeper got his fingers to it.  From the kick, Josef won the ball, got it to Josh, but the ‘keeper was there to claim it.  Our defenders battled well, but they still shot.  Jamie however, was more than equal to it.  Josef battled hard in the middle and got the ball to Joe.  Joe took a shot, but it was wide.  They attacked again, but Jamie saved.  From his massive kick, the ball bounced high and skidded in the wet, confusing their defenders, and Joe was through with the just the ‘keeper to beat.  He hit it high and gave their ‘keeper no chance 1-0.  Joe then had another run, his shot was saved and it came out to Josh, but his shot was wide. 

 

They attacked in strength down our right.  The ball was crossed in and Jamie tried to get his hand to it, but he misjudged the flight of the ball and it dropped behind him.  There was one Juniors player and two Colts, but it was Gideon Stone of the Juniors who got to it first 1-1.  Our defenders misjudged the ball in the wet and the Juniors were through.  Jamie sprinted off of his line and made the save but the ball spun loose.  The juniors were the first to react, but shot wide of the post.  The Juniors attacked again, buoyed by their equaliser but James cleared well.  Callum cleared to Josef and he set Joe on his way.  Unfortunately it was just to long.  James passed to Josef and he passed to Joe, but the ‘keeper got his feet to it.  Luke then crossed it back in, but Joe couldn’t quite get his foot to it. 

 

HALF-TIME: COLTS   1 JUNIORS   1

 

There was a bit of a tussle and James fell to the floor, but still got his foot to it and hit it forward.  Luke then won the ball on the halfway line, ran down the line and crossed in to where Josh was waiting to whack it into the back of the net 2-1.  It was such a determined run however that Luke then had to come off for five minutes for his inhaler and to recover!  Josh then had a hand in the face, which caught his eye but he soon recovered and Joe took the free kick.  It was deflected out to Josef who shot high, but it dropped into the ‘keeper’s arms.  Jamie made a great big kick, which Joe got, ran forward but eventually ran out of pitch.  Mark then played a lovely ball through the middle for Josh to chase but the ‘keeper made the save. 

 

FULL-TIME : COLTS   2 JUNIORS   1 

 

 

OVERALL RESULT : COLTS   4 JUNIORS   1

 

Afterthoughts………………………………………………………………

I would suggest that our team thought it was going to be easy.  Whilst we are pleased with the result, the management team were disappointed by the fact that the Juniors wanted to win more than we did.  I hope this lifts the team out of the comfort zone they seemed to have slipped into after a few wins.  There are some very hard games coming up.

 

Andy Glover Fry Club U9s Colts